BYT’s founders look at some of the best study practices for the ISEB, CEM and GL 11+

Studying Maths, English, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning at BYT High Wycombe

Sometimes it’s not what you study but how you study for the 11 Plus. As a child of eleven years old, committing to a regular study routine can be challenging. As a parent, you can help ensure your child maximises their learning by encouraging good study habits early on.

A Regular Routine

Creating a study schedule with your child will help retain their focus and ensure that time is set aside to get the work done. Studying first thing in the morning, when your child’s mind is most alert, is often the best way of ensuring they retain information. Encourage your child to get into the habit of taking shorts breaks at least every half hour so they don’t become tired or bored with the subject matter.

Keeping Track of Progress

The best way to keep tabs on how your child is progressing with their studies is to set them regular practice paper questions. This will help your child become familiar with the layout of the exam and give them the opportunity to put what they’ve learned into practice. The more often they do 11 Plus practice papers, the more confident they’ll become at working under exam conditions and thinking on their feet.

Staying Positive

It’s natural for children to lose interest when things don’t go according to plan but encouraging them to adopt a positive attitude can make all the difference in how they perform later down the line. As a parent, give credit where it’s due and try to frame any negative comments or results as a ‘learning point’, to keep your child in a resourceful mind-set. The more confident and relaxed they feel on the day of the exam the more equipped they’ll be to perform well.

What best practices do you employ when it comes to studying for the 11 Plus? We’d love to hear from you.

Woody Webster and Malachy Guinness are the founders of Bright Young Things Tuition. Established in 2006 BYT Tuition specialises in helping children study for the 11 Plus exam. We’ve helped hundreds of students through the experience to achieve excellent results without stress and obtain places at top U.K day schools.

Bright Young Things Tuition; 8a Lower Grosvenor Place, London SW1W 0EN; 020 7723 0506